Junior cricket
EARLIER this month – and after eight weeks of stunning catches, rapid run-outs, brilliant bowling and swashbuckling batting from the children – Raby Castle Cricket Club completed its All Stars programme for 2018.
All Stars is an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) initiative to get children aged between five and eight and their families involved in the sport.
At the end of the final session, all 32 of Raby’s All Stars were presented with a medal in recognition of their participation in the programme.
This was the first year Raby Castle CC had been involved in the initiative and lead activator Steve Caygill thanked the parents and children for making it such a rip roaring success.
Mr Caygill then thanked his fellow activators Bryony Kirkup and Gareth Walton, together with his wife Dilys, parents Louise Poole and Sharon Milner and young volunteer helper Adam Harker for their help and support during the eight weeks.
Ten-year-old Joseph Kirkup, who was too old to participate, nevertheless helped set up the equipment every week and was also presented with an All Stars medal in recognition of his service to the club.
Raby Castle Cricket Club is already looking forward to next season’s All Stars programme and is formulating plans to start a junior cricket coaching programme and the setting up of an U11s team.
Raby’s young All Stars team, coached by Scott Hedley, took part in the Middleton-in-Teesdale softball cricket tournament for the first time and finished a creditable fourth.
